A Redundant Office

With the resignation of David Cairns MP as Minister for Scottish Affairs brings up the question of whether or not the Scotland Office has any meaning for the people of Scotland, except as a sounding board for the government in London. The same applies to the Wales Office. There has been talk of combining the three offices, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland into one. Yet, as Alex Salmond has indicated, there is no necessity for a London office for Scotland as the affairs of Scotland are the province of the Scottish parliament and should be of no concern to Westminster.